Step-ladder



PARK PLAGE, N.Y.

out.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABIEL F. SAUNDERS, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR TO EVERETT SMITH, OF BOS- TON,AND BERNARD T. FELLOVS, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEP-LADDER.

Speeilcation forming part of Letters Patent No. 51,394, dated December5, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABIEL F. SAUNDERs, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a Self-Adj listin gStep-Ladder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view ofmy iniproved step-ladder ready for use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same folded up.

In step-ladders as heretofore constructed the support has been hinged orpivoted to the steps and held open by hooked rods. ropes, or slottedbraces and pins, which are objectionable on account of their hangingloosely in the way when the steps are shut up after use.

My invention has for its object to avoid this difticult-y and to producea neat and simple selt -adjusting step-ladder, which possesses greatstrength and can be furnished at amoderate cost; and it consists inattaching the support to the steps by means ot' side braces so arrangedand pivoted that the whole can be compactly shnt up and instantly openedready for use at one operation.

To enable others skilled in the art to under` stand and use myinvention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I havecarriedit In the said drawings, A represents the steps, and B the support,which is composed ot' two pieces, a, connected together in the ordinarymanner by rods b. The upper ends of the pieces c are beveled at c tocorrespond to the inclination of the steps A, as seen in Fig. 1, and thesupport is connected ou each side to the steps by side braces, d e.These braces are secured in place by means ot' pins f, on which theypivot, and are so arranged as to allow of the ladder being folded upcompactly, as seen in Fig. 2, and instantly opened ready for use at oneopera-tion, it being simply necessary to draw out the support from thesteps without the necessity of hookingor fastening the braces in place;and it will be seen that when open ready for use the ladder is braced inboth directions, so that the greater the weight put upon it the firmerit will stand, the beveled portion c ofthe support bearing against thesteps and in connection with the braces d. c, rendering the whole muchstronger and rmerthan where the support is connected tothe steps byhinges in the ordinaryT manner.

The above-described step-ladder is of simple construction, and'whenfolded up compactly, asin Fig. 2, there are no books, ropes, or armshanging loosely in the way. It also possesses great strength, and may befurnished at a lnoderate cost.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desireto secure by Let-ters Patent,is-

The supportB, in combination with the side braces, d c, and steps A,arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

ABIEL F. SAUNDERS.

Witnesses:

P. E. TEsoHEMACHER, N. W. STEARNS.

